On Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 8:43 AM, the Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned by law enforcement officials to commence a post-fire investigation at the Temple Israel of Hollywood at 7300 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood.

In a media statement, the Los Angeles Police Department described a burglary during which a small fire was set in a temple classroom. The fire was reportedly extinguished prior to the Police Officer's arrival. There were no injuries, and damage to the synagogue school was described as minimal.

Pursuant of protocol, the multi-agency House of Worship Arson Task Force was deployed, bringing local specialists from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation to join Investigators from the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments.

With concurrence of the investigation team, the Los Angeles Fire Department released video and still images of the suspect.




The following statement and booking photo was issued by the Los Angeles Fire Department on April 20, 2011:

The Los Angeles Fire Department’s Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section as the lead agency of the House of Worship Arson Task Force which includes members from the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives have made an arrest in connection with the Temple Israel of Hollywood, 7300 Hollywood Blvd., arson incident which occurred on Thursday, April 14, 2011.

Arson & Burglary Suspect Dmitriy Sheyko
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The suspect, Dmitriy Sheyko is currently in custody and has been charged with the Temple Israel of Hollywood burglary and arson incident, as well as several additional intentional fires in the Hollywood Hills. The additional fires occurred on the night of April 17, 2011, at a construction site that was in close proximity to where Sheyko had been detained by Los Angeles police officers conducting a burglary investigation.

Today, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office reviewed the facts of the case as presented by LAFD and LAPD Investigators, which resulted in the filing of 19 felony counts against Sheyko. The charges filed include multiple counts of burglary, arson and the use of a destructive device. Bail has been set at $3,000,000.

Anyone who believes that they recognize this individual as being tied to any other crimes or fires are encouraged to contact Arson Investigators at the Los Angeles Fire Department Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section at (213)485-6095.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Officials Identify and Release Booking Photo of Hollywood Temple Arson Suspect

On Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 2:14 PM, 11 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 3 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 85 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief Rudy Hill, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 4321 South Long Beach Avenue in South Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Firefighters arrived quickly to find heavy smoke showing from a 50' x 50' one-story commercial building converted to a house of worship.

Forcing entry through security doors and windows, firefighters encountered heavy fire within the non-occupied building, including the attic of the wood-frame structure. A well coordinated fire attack, including strategic vertical ventilation, quickly halted the advance of flames, but could not prevent a portion of the flat roof weakened by fire to collapse during the assault.

The flames were confined within the non-fire sprinklered structure and extinguished in just 24 minutes.

During the relentless assault on the fire, one firefighter sustained painful though non-life threatening second-degree burns to his face. In fair condition, he was taken to an area hospital, where he was expected to be treated and released to remain off-duty.

Fire loss to Visions of Heaven Church of God in Christ is estimated at $150,000 ($100,000 structure & $50,000 contents). The cause of this mid-afternoon blaze has been categorized as accidental, and remains under investigation.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Fast-moving Fire Heavily Damages Church in South Los Angeles

On Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 7:15 PM, 11 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 4 Arson Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief David Yamahata responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 528 E. Washington Bl. in Washington Blvd Corridor.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming out from a Church in a local neighborhood just outside downtown Los Angeles. A large column of smoke and flames were visible from the street surrounding the incident, with a school and local businesses just a stone throw away. As fire teams mounted a strategy, a significant amount of the flames had to be suppressed before the initial fire attack team could enter the building.

Roof teams quickly made their way up ladders to the top of the structure to cut ventilation holes to release the smoke and super heated gases. Fire crews aggressively advanced hose-lines, to begin extinguishing the flames, but were immediately met with an additional challenge of protecting adjacent structure from the heat. The fire consumed the attic of the church, causing roof compromise and great concerned for the safety of all the firefighters. The Incident Commander ordered all members to transition into a defensive exterior fire fight, but was soon called right back in to an offensive attack.

Two single family dwellings caught fire and posed more of a workload for all personnel at the scene. Due to the quick and decisive work, both adjacent structures received very little fire damage. A nearby blue line track had to be shut down during the entire fire operation to ensure the safety of all those at the scene.

It took approximately 80 firefighters just 41 minutes to achieve a knock down without injury. No civilians were reported to have been in either one of the buildings at the time of the incident. There were no injuries to any of the firefighters. Two adults and three children were displaced, as The American Red Cross was called in for assistance.

The cause of this fire will be under an active investigation by Los Angeles Fire Department Arson Investigators, as well as the multi-agency House of Worship Task Force.


UPDATE
An investigation was conducted by the House of Worship Arson Taskforce, which includes (LAFD, LAPD, ATF, and FBI). Subsequently a Ricardo Aguilar Martinez was arrested the next day and charged with two counts of arson. Mr. Martinez accepted a plea agreement and was convicted on one count of arson 451 (b) PC and was sentence to three years in State Prison.  Upon his release from prison, Martinez must register as a convicted arsonist.


Submitted by Devin Gales & Erik Scott, Spokesmen
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Church Caught Ablaze Along The Washington Blvd Corridor

On Friday, April 17, 2009 at 12:04 PM, 5 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 1 LAFD Rescue Ambulance, 5 Arson Units, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Michael Bowman responded to a Structure Fire at 435 S. Occidental Bl in Mid-Town.

Fire Department resources arrived to a small one story church in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles to find a small fire on east doors outside of the establishment. Fire crews made quick work in putting out the fire in less five minutes confining the flames to only the outside of the structure. There was no damage to the interior of the building and no injuries reported to civilians or Firefighters.

The House of Worship Task Force was called to the scene and concluded that the fire was deliberately set and will continuing the investigation. The estimated loss of this fire is at $10,000 structure only.

Submitted by Devin Gales, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Fire Damages Doors to Mid-Wilshire Church